Washington Scholar Interns Graduate

The Aurora Foundation is pleased to announce that five Aurora student veteran interns have successfully graduated from the Washington Scholars Fellowship Program. Aurora is a proud partner of Washington Scholars, having sponsored a student veteran Internship Chair since 2010. Joshua Hansen, Joseph Groban, Erik Steiner, Gavriel Swerling, and Rachel McDonough Kelly each completed the requirements set forth by Washington Scholars to join the ranks of five other Aurora Washington Scholars Alumni and hundreds of Washington Scholar graduates. The Summer Intern Class of 2012 includes the largest number of Aurora-sponsored interns since the partnership began in 2010.

On August 3, 2012, family, friends, and internship sponsors gathered from around the world to celebrate the accomplishments of a select group of college students interested in pursuing careers in Public Policy. The Washington Scholars Fellowship Program places politically minded individuals in premier internships in government agencies, media outlets and non-governmental organizations. These positions offer a unique look at Washington and how the political process works from a hands-on point of view. Of the five interns, Gavriel, Joseph, and Joshua are law students at the University of Maryland, Georgetown University, and Michigan State College School of Law, respectively. Erik Steiner is majoring in Economics and International Studies, and Rachel McDonough Kelly is majoring in Economics and Political Science. The five Aurora sponsored interns each completed a ten week internship, gaining hands on experience with think tanks such as the Heritage Foundation and the Lexington Institute; law firms like Ward & Ward PLLC, and organizations such as Third Way and the Reserve Officers Association. “It was an incredible opportunity. I was able to meet many different individuals in government and make key connections,” stated Rachel McDonough Kelly.

In support of the Aurora Foundation’s mission, which is to enable student veterans to successfully graduate from college and enter the workforce, the Foundation assists student veterans with the identification of full-time, paid internship opportunities in various fields and industries. Student veterans have the opportunity to gain valuable work experience in their areas of interest and gain insight into the civilian workforce. To date, the Aurora Foundation has graduated 17 interns across a variety of industries, including National Security, Finance/Banking, Law, IT, and Marketing. For more information about Aurora’s internship program, please contact Ellen Hembree at Ellen.Baumgardner@Aurora4vets.org.